Highways and Roads - Historical Notes

The following is a listing of acts which once had some effect upon the county road system in Loudon County, but which are no longer operative. Also referenced below are acts which repeal prior law without providing new substantive provisions.

1. Public Acts of 1901, Chapter 136, regulated the working and laying out of public roads in the state, except in counties of 70,000 citizens and over according to the 1900 Federal Census.
2. Acts of 1907, Chapter 572, authorized Loudon County, upon an affirmative vote of the people, to build and macadamize public and pike roads in said county; to appoint commissioners and fix their duties; and issue and sell bonds for the purpose of this act; and provided for the payment of interest on and principal of said bonds. This was amended by Acts of 1909, Chapter 100, which substituted "improve" for "macadamize" in the original act, and by Acts of 1909, Chapter 322, which required the sinking fund commissioners to execute an oath.
3. Private Acts of 1911, Chapter 198, authorized Loudon County to issue a bond issue of $100,000, at an annual interest rate of 5% and a maturity date within thirty years in order to improve the county roads. This act also provided for the creation of a pike commission and a tax to pay the interest and principal of said bonds.
4. Private Acts of 1913, Chapter 338, authorized Loudon County to issue bonds for the purpose of improving the public roads in said county, the building of bridges where necessary, the sale of the said bonds, the building of certain roads, the appointment of pike commissioners, and to fix their duties and salary. This act also provided for the levying of a tax to pay the interest and the principal of the bonds, and the election of sinking fund commissioners. This act was amended by Private Acts of 1915, Chapter 599, so as to require Loudon County Court spend $10,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, of the proceeds of the sale of said $150,000 of bonds, for the purpose of grading and improving the public road in Loudon County, running from Easton’s Cross Roads to the Knox County line.
5. Private Acts of 1917, Chapter 675, authorized Loudon County to issue $100,000 in bonds to be used for constructing turnpikes, building bridges, and improving public roads under the supervision of three pike commissioners. These bonds were to mature in not more than thirty years at a maximum interest rate of 5%. This was amended by Private Acts of 1919, Chapter 72, which gave the Loudon County Court the power to designate which roads were to be improved. Private Acts of 1921, Chapter 709, also amended the 1917 act, so as to authorize the issuance of an additional bond issue of $250,000; and this amendatory act was amended by Private Acts of 1925, Chapter 538, to change the method of advertising and accepting bids for the road work.
6. Private Acts of 1919, Chapter 470, authorized the Loudon County Court to levy special taxes for the purpose of building bridges across rivers and streams, so as to connect any highways crossing said rivers or streams in Loudon County.
7. Private Acts of 1919, Chapter 499, was the first general road law for Loudon County. It abolished the office of district road commissioners and created the office of road superintendent, elected by the quarterly county court. Private Acts of 1921, Chapter 282, amended this act to require the road superintendent to keep an inventory of all road tools and machinery under his control. Private Acts of 1923, Chapter 176, was another amendment to the 1919 act, setting the term of the road superintendent at not less than one year nor more than four years. Private Acts of 1927, Chapter 464, amended Chapter 499, by prescribing the qualification of the road superintendent. Private Acts of 1929, Chapter 187, repealed Private Acts of 1927, Chapter 464. Private Acts of 1929, Chapter 653, provided that the road superintendent was to be elected by the voters for a two year term and that the salary of the road superintendent be $1,800 per annum. Private Acts of 1919, Chapter 499 and all amendatory acts were repealed by Private Acts of 1937 (3rd Ex. Sess.), Chapter 19.
8. Private Acts of 1919, Chapter 528, authorized Loudon, Monroe and Knox counties to issue bonds to the extent of $1.00 on each $100.00 of taxable property. The funds from these bonds were to be used to build bridges across streams and rivers, to connect state highways.
9. Private Acts of 1927, Chapter 600, validated the issuance of $150,000 of highway bonds by the Loudon Quarterly County Court and provided for the levy and collection of a tax on all taxable property within said county for the purpose of paying principal and interest of such bonds.
10. Private Acts of 1927, Chapter 601, validated the issuance of $480,000 in highway bonds by the Loudon County Quarterly Court and provided for the levy and collection of a tax on all taxable property for the purpose of paying principal and interest of such bonds.
11. Private Acts of 1933, Chapter 666, provided that the cost of purchasing all rights-of-way in Loudon County was to be paid out of the county's share of the automobile license fund.
12. Private Acts of 1937 (3rd Ex. Sess.), Chapter 19, created a three member board of highway commissioners in Loudon County and provided for the election, qualifications, term of office, duties and compensation of the members of said board. This act also transferred to said board the powers and duties of the road superintendent of the county and placed said road superintendent under the supervision of said board and provided for the abolishment of the office of board superintendent.
13. Private Acts of 1939, Chapter 552, amended the original 1937 road law by providing all members of the Loudon County Board of Highway Commissioners serve for a 2 year term and that the commissioners receive a salary of $25 per month.
14. Private Acts of 1949, Chapter 724, amended the 1939 road law to provide that the board of highway commissioners be elected by the quarterly county court rather than by the voters, but this act was repealed by Private Acts of 1953, Chapter 4.
15. Private Acts of 1953, Chapter 3, deleted the provision in the 1937 road law that no more than 2 of the 3 board members of the commission could be of the same political faith.
16. Private Acts of 1953, Chapter 273, rewrote almost all of section one of the 1937 road law. It divided the county into three districts with one member to be elected from each district. It no longer forbid members from being related to a member of the county court, but did forbid one person from serving on both the highway commission and the county court. The act also authorized the hiring of a road superintendent and other necessary employees.
17. Private Acts of 1955, Chapter 324, attempted to amend Private Acts of 1953 Chapter 273, by increasing the salary of the highway commissioners, but this act was not approved by the local authorities.
18. Private Acts of 1963, Chapter 224, would have provided for a system of public roads and created the office of county road superintendent, but its provisions were rejected on the local level.
19. Private Acts of 1965, Chapter 177, attempted to create the office of county road superintendent in Loudon County, however, this act was rejected by the Loudon County Quarterly Court.
20. Private Acts of 1967-68, Chapter 367, increased the additional hourly wage from $1.00 to $2.00 per hour paid to members of the board of highway commissioners for actual labor upon the highways, limited to 48 hours per week. The monthly salary of $50.00 was retained.
21. Private Acts of 1972, Chapter 398, attempted to reorganize the county highway department in Loudon County, but failed to gain local approval. It would have created a department of highways, with both a board of highway commissioners and a county highway superintendent.
22. Private Acts of 1974, Chapter 318, amended Private Acts of 1937, Third Extra Session, Chapter 19, so as to increased the pay of the members of the board of highway commissioners to $3.00 per hour.